Mind Games
by Devotion
Summary: Youji is being stalked. Omi's learning to drive. Ken's going to die. Aya's going to get sadistic. Schu's trying to get it on. You'll understand after you read the fic. *yaoi warning*
1. Mind Games I

Mind Games

_Youji..._

Youji turned around, wondering who the hell had just called his name. Dammit, Aya better not be following me again, he thought. The man frowned at the dancing clubbers around him. The dark room, along with the green strobe lights that erratically pierced the blackness made it hard for him to see if Aya was there. The last time Aya had stalked him was supposedly 'for the good of the team'; to find out if Youji was 'fucking around' – though Aya wasn't talking about sex. 

After a good look around, Youji calmed down. Aya wasn't there so he must've imagined the voice. 

Heading towards the bar for a drink, Youji heard his name again. 

_Youji..._

This time, swearing that he had heard someone, he spun around quickly. 

"Anou, sumimasen!" The girl he had bumped into glared at him for nearly making her drop her liquor. Sniffing haughtily, she walked away, still glaring over her shoulder. 

Youji stood on tip-toe and scanned the club. Still no one. Pressing a palm against his forehead, Youji checked if he was having a fever or something. 

"Hey! Get me a brandy!" he yelled to the bartender. When the drink came, he dropped his hand from his face and took a large gulp. What the hell is the problem with me tonight? As if to prove that there was nothing wrong, Youji downed the alcohol and jumped onto the dance floor. 

As if by magic, five girls suddenly appeared out of nowhere and were suddenly dancing with him. Youji grinned childishly. He liked girls. He liked breasts. He liked the way they looked in bed after... 

Youji turned his head to the side, puzzled. He had thought that someone was whispering to him. Whispering in delicate thickness, in sexy undertones. All he saw was another girl dancing there. 

Whoa, am I going crazy? 

_Youji..._

Frightened now, Youji broke away from the circle of young women. He had definitely heard something this time. And he knew that if he were to turn around, he would see no one there. 

Fighting through the crowd, Youji wondered if it was possibly someone from Schwarz. Fuck, no! he thought frantically. They don't know where I hang out at! They don't even know my real name! Just my code name, Balinese... 

Youji burst out of the club, breathing deeply the cold night, or rather morning air. With shaking fingers, he grabbed a cigarette and lit it. Taking in a deep lungful of nicotine, Youji wondered if the drink he had been given earlier had been laced with something a far more potent than alcohol. Still, he could not stop trembling. 

_Youji, my darling. Shivering, in the dark..._

"Fuck off! You bastard! Where are you! I'll show you a thing or two you little devil!" Spinning around in angry circles, Youji tried to pinpoint where the sound was coming from. But it didn't seem to be coming from anywhere. Just from his mind. He heard a soft sigh. 

_Maybe I am the devil._

Youji blinked. That sentence was more than unexpected. He could almost feel the pain in the words; the sadness. What the hell? he thought. My stalker? With self-loathing? 

_Ah, I see that you have picked up on that._

This sentence had even more of a melancholy tone entwined in the simple words. 

Youji grabbed the sides of his head. I am not having a conversation with anyone! I'm alone! There's no one here! 

Youji began to run, hands still clasped to his head. Just run, and run, and run, Youji. Don't stop. Don't stop. 

He didn't want to hear anything anymore. He didn't want to know that he was going crazy. He didn't want to think that he was turning into Farfarello. And that bastard had killed himself a long time ago. 

-------------------- 

Bang. Bang. 

"Youji!" 

Bang. Bang. Bang. 

"Dammit! Youji!" 

Bang-Bang-Bang-Bang. 

"I swear to you, if you don't get up!" 

Pound, Pound, Pound. 

Youji pressed his fingers to his temples. Damn, he had another headache. 

BangBangBangBangBang! 

"Fuck it, Youji! Get up!" Raising his head slowly, Youji replied hoarsely. 

"I'm up. Just, please, stop knocking," Youji pleaded. Carefully, he swung his legs over the side of his queen-sized bed and slipped his feet into his red fuzzy slippers. Already he was shivering from the cold air. 

Dammit, I forgot to put on the heater last night. As Youji tried to stand up, he fell back onto the bed heavily with his head feeling like it was being stabbed over and over and over with a dull knife. He had a major hang-over and it didn't seem like it was going to get any better. 

"YOUJI!" The said person grimaced. He had to get to the door. So Ken-Ken would stop that banging. Maybe without that horrible noise, his headache would die down. 

Grunting with effort, Youji managed to get vertical, though he swayed dangerously. He grasped the table beside his bed for support. After the wave of nausea passed over him, he was steadier and slowly made his way to the door. 

"What?" 

Ken snarled. 

"What do you mean what!" 

"Just answer my question, dammit." 

"You have a date waiting downstairs," Ken ground out between his tight lips. "And she's been here for twenty minutes already so you better be grateful, Kudou. I've been entertaining her all that time – and it hasn't been easy. Kudou, YOU OWE ME." Glaring at Youji's mussed state, Ken walked away. 

Youji groaned. He had forgotten. Last night, all he was thinking about was that voice. It was in his attempt to forget the voice that Youji ended up drinking himself unconscious. Brandy, wine, beer. Anything he could get his hands on. 

Now, his date (he didn't know which one she was) was waiting for him downstairs and he looked like he had just been through hell. 

_Maybe I am the devil._

Youji shook his head frantically. No. I'm not going to let this happen now, he thought fiercely. NOT IN BROAD DAYLIGHT. 

Shuffling his way to the bathroom, Youji took care of his bodily needs before swallowing 5 aspirins. Leaning on the porcelain sink, Youji looked at himself. 

His hair was tangled. He had bags. He was extra pale. He looked fucked up. And he had just given himself a drug over-dose. He ran a hand through his hair and got it only about halfway through before the tangles prevented him from getting any further; Youji cursed at his present condition. His headache was getting worse by the minute and that girl was still waiting. And waiting, and waiting, and waiting. 

Once again entering his bedroom, Youji opened his door and stumbled out. He would show her what he looked like, say he was sick, and ask her for a raincheck. Surely she would understand. He hated having people see him like this, but he owed at least that to the girl. 

"...And tell Kudou that he's a baka!" 

Slam. 

Youji slowly closed his bedroom door. Ah, I guess I don't have to go down after all, he thought bitterly.   
  



	2. Mind Games II

Mind Games

"Dammit, come out," Youji whispered to the voice. He wanted to know who the hell it was that was talking to him. And after coming home wasted every night he went clubbing for the past week gave him enough courage find out. That and the fact that Aya had threatened to kill him if he didn't stop fucking around. Youji sighed. Again, Aya hadn't been referring to sex. 

_Why do you want me to come out, koi?_ Youji shuddered at the endearment. Lately, the voice had been calling him 'lover'. 

_Because you follow me every night. I want to know who you are._ Youji heard a tsk-tsk sound come from it. 

_You want to hurt me._ Youji started. He hadn't been planning that. He didn't want to hurt it. He just wanted to know once and for all, who it was. Right? 

_Wrong._ Well, maybe sub-consciously... Youji quickly decided to change the subject. 

_Why do you call me koi?_ A smile from it. 

_Don't you like it? Lover._ Another involuntary shudder ran through the tall man's lean frame. 

_Lover. Ah, how I want you, Kudou. Let me call you lover. Let me, please. Lover. How the name suits you so._

A sudden flash of red. 

_I've watched you take a thousand woman home. Playboy._

A flash of white. 

_But you never really want them do you? You just want their warm bodies beside you; when night comes; when darkness falls._

A flash of dark olive. 

_I can touch you in a way those woman never could. Ah, Youji, to touch you. You would rescue me from all this. Heaven. Shining through you._

A pair of eyes. 

RECOGNITION. 

The voice was gone. 

It was angry. It had been careless and let images of itself filter through to Youji's mind; Youji now knew it was a MAN. And the worst part was that he had recognised the eyes of the being. 

But Youji only recognised the eyes. He didn't know who the man was. Fortunately. 

The man thought that he should stay away. Stop seeing Youji. But he knew he couldn't. For if he didn't have Youji, he had nothing. And nothingness was his secret, private demon. 

-------------------- 

"OMI! WATCH OUT!" 

"GYAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" 

"HAI, HAI! I SEE IT! I'M NOT BLIND!" 

"IIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!!!!!" 

"KEN, SHUT UP! LET OMI DRIVE!" 

"AYA! KEN'S CHOKING ME!" 

"PLEASE, STOP!!!!! THE HORROR!!!!! THE HORROR!!!!!" 

"KEN, IF YOU DON'T LET GO, OMI'S GOING TO GET US ALL KILLED!" 

"I DON'T WANT TO DIE..." 

"AYA! HELP ME! ...AND WHO SAYS I'M GOING TO KILL US!" 

Scene: Omi's first time driving in the crowded Tokyo streets with his learner's permit. 

At the moment, Omi is swerving his steering wheel around like crazy, trying to avoid all the cars and from running onto the sidewalk again. But the thing that's getting him pissing angry is Ken's death-grip on his neck. It's not as if _that_ would help him if they did get into an accident anyway... 

As for Ken, he's not frustrated. He's not angry. He's not scared. He's fucking _terrified._ To him, Omi with a learner's is a no-no. A very _big_ no-no. Right now, he believes with the most holy conviction that his life will end prematurely while he's in the passenger's seat. And he always thought that he would die with dignity in the hands of Schwarz. But _no... _

Meanwhile, in the back seat, Aya was seriously considering taking his katana out and just stabbing to death both of the boys with the weapon. Or, he could just kill Ken. No; he changed his mind. Omi's newly-discovered road rage was annoying him to extremes. It would be best if he got rid of both. He unsheathed his sword and held it out towards Ken, for he would be the first to die. Yes, that would be best... 

Thump. 

"AAAAAAYYYYYYYYHHHHHHH!!!!! SOMETHING STABBED ME!!!!! I'M BLEEDING!!!!! YOU'VE KILLED US!!!!!" 

"HOLY FUCKING SHIT! ...AND SHUT UP, KEN! I'VE JUST RUN SOMEONE OVER!" 

"WHAT? OMI! I TOLD YOU TO WATCH FOR PEDESTRIANS!" 

"WHY COULDN'T YOUJI HAVE COME INSTEAD!!!!! I DON'T WANT TO BE PUT IN A GRAVE!!!!! I DON'T WANT TO BE EATEN BY MAGGOTS!!!!! DAMN YOU, YOUJI!!!!!" 

"I'M GOING TO GET MY LICENSE REVOKED AREN'T I? THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE ME LICENSE AWAY! AND I'VE ONLY GOT MY LEARNER'S PERMIT! KEN! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" 

"NEVER AGAIN! NEVER AGAIN! NEVER AGAIN WILL I GET IN A CAR WITH YOU TWO LUNATICS! AND IF YOU DENTED MY PORSCHE, OMI!" 

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH~!!!!!!!!" 

Meanwhile, an unconscious human being was lying, sprawled on the asphalt with little swirls swirling in their eyes, humiliatingly ignored by their oh-so vicious attackers. 

-------------------- 

Aya grabbed the body beneath the shoulders, at the armpits. Grunting with effort, he hauled it up and let it lean against his chest for a moment before backing up far enough that it's legs fell onto the ground and out of the back seat of the car. Quickly, Omi took hold of the ankles and helped Aya carry the body into the back entrance of the Koneko no Sumu, before anyone saw them. There had already been too many witnesses. But luckily, the people who had seen the accident occur thought that they were bringing the body to the hospital instead of their flower shop. It was there that they would take care of things. 

Dropping the man ungracefully on a couch, Omi and Aya sneered at it disgustedly. The man was chalk white because all the blood had drained out of his face a long time ago, and his hair was in seemingly irreparable tangles. His clothes were in no better condition. They were rumpled, bloody, and soiled in embarrassing places; they would have to be replaced with brand new ones. Aya bent down and slapped it with the back of his hand violently to try to get it to wake up. 

"Come on," said Aya as he began to stir. "We still have to get that injured pedestrian. Ken-kun will come-to fine." 

They both exited. 

  
  



	3. Mind Games III

Mind Games

"Frère Jaques! Frère Jaques!" A woman stared quizzically at the singing man. "Brother John! Brother John!" The man tripped on a crack in the pavement and flung his arms out wide to keep from falling. He giggled at his stunt. "Morning bells are ringing! Morning bells are ringing! Ding-Dong-ding! Ding-Dong-ding!" Actually, in just a couple of minutes, morning bells would be ringing. That is, if there were any morning bells in Tokyo. 

Youji rounded a corner and began singing anew. 

"Nagai tsuki-hi kimi to hanare, Boku wa munashisa ni oboreta, Yume wa tada no hiniku da yo to, Machi no zawameki ni suteta hazu sa..." A lone girl walking the rain-drenched street glanced at Youji who was walking without an umbrella and thought that Youji was drunk. Still, after the man had passed, she too began to murmur the words to 'Sweet Nothing'. 

"Yogoreta tamashii kakimushitte, Ano hi ni modoru itami ni nare, Samayou tamashii sagashi ni yukou, Tooku tooku too – OOF!" Youji bumped into Aya and stepped back, trying to regain his equilibrium. "Ah, Aya!" he said happily. "Sumimasen! I didn't hear you!" He walked around the glaring Aya to the back of the Koneko no Sumu. "Utsuro de yasashii jidai no sayonara wo!" 

Aya watched him as he sauntered off. It wasn't Youji who had bumped into Aya. It was Aya who bumped into Youji. He had been outside taking out the garbage when he heard an angel singing. Curious, he went to investigate. Little did he know that the voice came from his fellow assassin. It was surprising and more than a little disturbing. 

"To say good-bye to this world sweet in nothingness!" Youji cried out in the dark, repeating his last sentence before entering the shop. 

Still singing, Youji walked into the secret basement of the flower shop. At the top of the stairs that led down, he called out, "It's everyone's favourite bishounen! Kudou Youji!" 

The reason Youji was in such a good mood was because he had not been visited by any 'voices'. He had been left in the club, alone and free. It had been some time since Youji had experienced that feeling and he was eternally grateful for the reprieve. 

"Shh!" Omi replied to Youji who had made his way to the bottom of the winding stairwell, brows furrowed. "You're going to wake him up!" 

"Eh? Ken?" Omi shook his head. 

"Iie. Look in your bedroom – but try not to scream," he added. 

As curious as a cat, Youji padded to his room silently, trying to make as little noise as possible. He nearly giggled out loud when he got a mental image of himself sneaking around the halls. Still quiet, Youji peered around the corner of the wood door. His eyes widened in absolute shock. 

Resting on his bed was Schuldich. 

"But-but-but..." he stammered. Ken came up behind him and peeked in the bedroom also. 

"Ah, you've met sleeping beauty, I see." The boy wrinkled his nose. "He's been out all day. We've tried everything we could think of but he's just not waking." 

"What happened!" Youji managed to burst out. He was horrified beyond belief. Schuldich – a member of Schwarz! INSIDE THEIR HIDE-OUT! Ken blushed. 

"Anou, Omi-kun was driving and ah..." 

"And what? He ran him over?" Youji walked into the room bravely. Ken muttered a weak 'hai'. Youji walked further into the room. "So how come you didn't just leave him on the sidewalk?" he asked calmly while gazing inquisitively at Schuldich's sleeping form. 

"Because that would be immoral!" Ken stated fiercely, amazed at Youji's lack of compassion. "We couldn't possibly just leave him there!" 

"We brought him here because there were spectators. They witnessed the event. We brought him here to protect ourselves, not because we wanted to." Aya now stood by the doorjamb, his face a mask, explaining to Youji. 

"Well, let's dispose of him then!" To Youji, everything was solved if they just 'discarded' of Schuldich. He never liked the red-head. He barely found any interest in the man. But what distressed him was that Schuldich at times acted the exact same way as he. Like the red-head could have been a close friend of his if the circumstances were different. Youji threw a raspberry to the man and chuckled at his silliness. 

Aya sighed exasperatedly behind his back. "We can't. Kritiker has contacted us." 

"What?" Youji turned around. 

"Kritiker is willing to pay us a great sum of money if we do this last job." Youji's face coloured. 

"But Weiss officially disbanded months ago!" Aya tilted his head, acknowledging Youji's declaration. 

"But Youji," Ken interrupted. "Something's happening. Something you'll never believe!" He neared the tall man and tip-toed to whisper confidentially in his ear. "Someone's been killing off Schwarz! One by one..." Youji pushed Ken away impatiently. 

"I don't care! Let the bastards rot in hell, then! Why should we help them?" He looked to Aya, demanding an answer with his flashing eyes. Aya talked, slowly, tonelessly, with no expression or feeling. 

"The same person, or people, have been after members of Kritiker also. They already got Manx." The blood abruptly rushed out of Youji's head, making him light-headed. It couldn't be true. Not Manx. Not Manx. Manx... Aya continued, relentlessly. "They could be after us too. It looks as if this person is going after everyone that was ever after Takitori. At the moment, we don't know why. But if we keep Schuldich, he may reveal to us some information. We need him." 

And that's the bottom line, thought Youji as he sat down dazedly in a chair. Who cares about Manx? This is a mission. Schuldich is a lead. Forget everything else; we have a job to do. Forget the innocent women who get caught in the cross-fire... 

"What do you want me to do?" 

-------------------- 

A massive change came over Youji in the past few days. Before, when he had been light-hearted and carefree, he was now extremely reserved and intense. He even acted slightly like Aya but it was much more frightening for the people around him because he had never been that way a mere day ago. Youji was quiet, serious, almost in an ethereal condition and alarmingly so. 

"Do you think that Youji'll be alright?" murmured Ken. Omi shook his head. 

"I don't know. I don't even know why he volunteered to be the one to take the main role in this operation. Taking into consideration what happened with Asuka... I just expected him to be the one that was unwilling." It was Ken's turn to shake his head. 

"Maybe it's his past with Asuka that's driving him on. And don't forget, Manx was always a favourite of his." Omi made a small noise in his throat in agreement but Ken's words didn't settle Omi's nervous disposition. It didn't even settle Ken's. They both looked at the tall member of the re-established Weiss Kruez as he potted a lily. 

Youji moved efficiently and was totally impassive. He placed the flower in the ceramic bowl without really looking at it and stuffed dirt around the roots. He then placed a blue ribbon around the pot and set it on a shelf near the front of the store where it could be viewed easily. 

Aya sneaked a glance at Youji and then pretended as if he Youji was his old self. The man had taken and wanted the job to befriend Schuldich and wring as much information out of him on his own. Things would have been so much easier if Schuldich would just give them the information but Aya doubted that. First, Schuldich was one of their oldest enemies and secondly, because Schuldich himself didn't even try to find out who killed off his companions. And if they were to ask him, there could be a chance that Schuldich would refuse to give them the information merely because he wished to antagonise them; after all, Schuldich had a history of enjoying others' pain and frustration. Yes, it would be best if one of them got close to Schuldich. It was the best way to ensure that the information would be obtained. Youji would do the job right, if not for Schwarz or the team, then for Manx. Aya trusted him enough to leave him alone and to not contemplate the man committing suicide, but that was tentative. Aya would have to keep eye out for Youji for the entire mission and it didn't help things that Youji had been getting roaring drunk for the past few days. 

Aya looked at Youji again. Maybe when Schuldich woke up Youji would– 

"Schuldich!" Omi yelled out loud. As if realising that no one was supposed to know that they had the man in their custody, the youth hastily placed his palm over his mouth and looked around. Luckily, there was no one in the store at the moment. Taking the initiative, Ken grabbed Schuldich's arm and dragged him back downstairs, to their secret headquarters. 

"Youji–" began Aya, but Youji was already following Ken; already doing his duty. 

"Schuldich! Are you okay?" spoke Ken softly. He didn't know why but he felt that he should speak quietly. Steering him round the screw stairs and to Youji's bedroom, Ken scanned Schuldich's face for any signs of sickness; yes, it was there, and quite evident. Many times during the short journey, Schuldich's legs failed him leaving the shorter and lighter Ken with a grown man's weight upon his shoulders. "Ah! Schuldich! Dammit, you should keep off the sweets!" Ken and Schuldich were almost to the bedroom but Schuldich was limp in Ken's arms and this time, it didn't seem like he was going to regain his footing again. 

"Youji! Here, help me," beckoned Ken as the older man appeared, but Youji didn't bother helping Ken, he just hefted the red-head, as if he was no great weight, and took him away. Ken was left behind wondering about a few things but no longer impeded. Shrugging any thoughts away, Ken walked after the pair. 

"Schuldich," murmured Youji softly. Schuldich groggily moved his head to the other side; Youji was whispering in his ear. It took Ken a moment until he realised that Youji was going after Schuldich. He silently left the two to their own devices. 

"Schuldich," Youji repeated, overlooking Ken's well-timed exit. He ran a hand through the thick mass of hair sensually. It tickled the pads of his fingers and felt soft against his palm. Schuldich mumbled something unintelligible. Youji leaned forward farther to hear the man's words. 

Clumsy fingers brushed up and under Youji's Armani sweater. They glided over hardened muscle and pliant skin, up and up. Now Schuldich was blowing in Youji's ear, moaning and becoming short of breath. 

"I want you." The simple words nearly made Youji recoil in revulsion. A playboy to the core, Youji never had considered yaoi relationships for himself – though he had caught Ken imagining himself with Aya several times since their leader had joined Weiss. Calmly taking the straying hand in his own, Youji straightened and looked down on Schuldich without emotion playing on his features. He would let Schuldich make the first move. 

Schuldich was asleep. The redhead had apparently fallen unconscious again. Youji thought ruefully, maybe I was a little too much for him; but there was no humour in the sentence. Placing Schuldich's hand on the mattress beside him, Youji took an extra blanket and a pillow; he would be sleeping on the couch for the next few days. 

  
  



	4. Mind Games IV

Mind Games

In the ensuing days later, Youji took a dominant part in helping Schuldich recover from his wounds. Really, Youji was never far from the red-head's elbow. Everywhere Schuldich was, Youji wasn't far and vice-versa. Almost like magnets they were and so far, Aya was the only one who approved of this. The other boys were uncomfortable firstly because they were still wary of Schuldich and secondly, because Youji was taking an unholy affinity to the man. It would probably have been okay had it been anyone else, but it was Youji! Youji, the man with two dates in one day, the man who manipulated every heart of every woman he met; with the exception of Manx and Birman. It was almost as if the natural order of things had completely changed with the revelation of Manx's death. And Omi and Ken supposed that it had. 

But shockingly, Schuldich didn't seem to mind at all. In fact, he seemed to revel in the fact that there were so many people around him, most especially Youji. He expressed joy in the company of his greatest adversaries. 

Eventually, the two youngest members of Weiss decided to confer upon the subject. Late one Tuesday night, they met in Omi's room and after several proposals, picked one. 

"I think one of us should take care of Schuldich for a while," offered Omi. "That way, Youji will have no choice but to work at the shop and be surrounded by girls. You know what kind of affect they have on him. Meanwhile, Schuldich will be under our care and Youji will forget him for at least a couple of hours." Omi threw up his hands into the air. "I mean, that much attention going to one guy from Youji is almost sacrilegious! You'd almost think he's..." Ken laughed heartily, glad for the joke. Everyone knew that all the girls that came to the store after school thought that also. 

"It seems like a simple enough plan," Ken contributed, "it should work." Omi's grin faded and he glared dangerously. 

"What do you mean 'it seems like a simple enough plan'?" he questioned with narrowed eyes. "Are you saying that my plans are stupid, Hidaka?" 

From there, everything went downhill. 

-------------------- 

It had almost turned into a fight, of all things. Omi and Ken often wondered afterwards why, but could find no answer. Youji had been in a fairly good mood that day and when approached with the idea of leaving Schuldich, became quickly incensed. 

"No; he's my responsibility." 

"But Youji," pleaded Omi, "I think you need a break! You haven't been acting like yourself lately..." 

"No, alright!" 

"Youji!" Ken said sharply. "You're taking this too far! Aya might not care as long as the job is done, but we do! Schuldich is doing something to you, Youji! You're starting to care too much..." 

"I already told you! I'm not leaving him! Nothing either of you say will change that, so don't even bother!" 

After that, Youji had gone back into the shop to rejoin with Schuldich, slamming the supply room door violently. Omi and Ken stood there for a moment, suddenly embarrassed at the short but intense conversation. 

"Come on, kid, we'd better get back to work." 

They never mentioned the incident again. 

-------------------- 

"Saa, Youji-chan, why do you always sleep on the couch?" Schuldich questioned with sparkling eyes. Youji shrugged and collected his blanket. "But isn't it cold there? I know it's cold here." Schuldich's sense of humour had recovered faster than his body. 

"Schuldich..." Youji frowned, uncertain and confused. "...I ...I don't want to hurt you." It truly was an honest statement. Youji turned away from Schuldich, not wanting to see his reaction. There was an awkward pause for a moment. 

"Of course you won't! Come, come, there's room." Schuldich lifted the blanket and grinned as if he didn't hear the catch in Youji's last sentence. Youji turned to face him. 

_He used to... I don't want that anymore... Youji..._

Sighing, Youji put down his blankets and crawled into the bed compliantly. Smugly, Schuldich wrapped his long arms around him and slipped a hand beneath the t-shirt to curl fingers around his abdomen. Lips carefully pressed themselves onto Youji's neck before the entire body settled down. 

"See? This isn't so bad, even though it's a fairly tight fit... Mm, you're so warm." Youji made an indiscernible sound in his throat as a reply. 

"Saa, Youji, say something!" 

Youji stared at the ceiling, his eyes moistening and his view splintering. 

"...Tell me more... about..." 

"Youji," Schuldich said, suddenly sounding tired. 

"Please... just... tell me more... about... about what happened... to you." Schuldich's hold tightened. 

"For a kiss," he said softly. 

"For a kiss," Youji agreed. 

-------------------- 

Aya felt uneasy. Something was brewing with Youji and Schuldich and he hated to have to break that connection in fear of losing their hold on the redhead. But then, he also wanted to, very badly in fact, for the two were becoming closer and closer every day. Youji had to keep a subjective look upon things. 

Aya paused his chain of thought for a moment. _Aya Fujimiya_ had to keep a subjective look upon things. 

Shaking his head, Aya concluded that he couldn't waste this significant gamble. He would not do anything for now. 

Aya continued his sweeping. 

  
  



End file.
